The invention relates to a container for fluids, in particular gas containing fluids, as well as to use of such container and to an accessory intended for transporting the container.
Containers for liquids are known in various embodiments. The prior art containers have the disadvantage, in particular when they are used for fluids containing gas, such as for example beer or other carbonated fluids, that during filling of the container there must be a difference in pressure between the interior of the container and the fluid supply reservoir. Moreover, at the start of the filling procedure, the fluid enters a substantially empty volume. As a result thereof, a part of the gas contained in the fluid may easily egress which causes a degradation of quality. Furthermore, the prior art container has the drawback that also during discharge of a quantity of fluid gas may easily egress in the empty space within the container which progressively increases in volume. The prior art containers, such as for example a beer cask, also have the drawback that the empty container occupies a lot of space.
The object of the, invention is to provide a container as mentioned in the background section, in which these drawbacks are removed in a simple but effective manner.
For this purpose, the container according to the invention is characterized by an outer casing of flexible, pressure resistant material, at least a gas and/or fluid tight inner casing of flexible material lying inside the outer casing and being separated therefrom, and at least a filling connection for filling the inner casing.
In this manner it is accomplished that the container is collapsible so that filling of the inner casing of the container may take place starting from a collapsed condition of at least the inner casing whereby it is possible to fill without pressure difference and whereby the fluid does not enter an empty volume. An egress of gas from the fluid is substantially diminished as a result thereof. When fluid is discharged from the container, at least the volume of the inner casing is permitted to decrease by collapsing, so that also during the use of the fluid gas is not allow to egress. Consequently, the quality of the fluid is maintained, both during filling of the inner casing with fluid and during discharge of fluid from the inner casing. When the container is completely empty, it occupies only little room if the outer casing is collapsible in a more or less flat manner, which is very favorable for transport and storage.
Preferably, the inner casing is removably arranged in the outer casing. As a result, the inner casing may easily be replaced. Furthermore, it is made possible to place inner casings which are suited for different fluids into the same outer casing.
According to a favorable embodiment, the outer casing is gas and/or fluid tight and a second filling connection may be arranged for filling the space between the inner and outer casings. Consequently, the container according to the invention is very suited for transporting dangerous fluids, such as for example hydrogen gas. In that case, the space between the inner and outer casings may be filled with helium so that, in case of a calamity during which the inner casing becomes defective, hydrogen gas and helium are permitted to mix thereby yielding an innocent mixture.
It is an advantage if the outer casing is of circular shaped cross-section and comprises coupling means for coupling the container with an accessory for rolling transport of the container, in which the axis of the coupling means coincide with the center line of the circular shaped cross-section. This makes the transport of full containers relatively easy.
The invention will hereafter be further explained with reference to the drawing very schematically showing an embodiment of the container according to the invention by way of example.